Shorter vs. Elms College

Should I go to Shorter University or College of Our Lady of the Elms? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Shorter or Elms College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Shorter University vs. College of Our Lady of the Elms comparison
Shorter University College of Our Lady of the Elms College 3 College 4
Shorter University College of Our Lady of the Elms
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Overview

Shorter Elms College
Location Rome, GA Chicopee, MA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,515 1,275
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #872 #401
Religious Affiliation Baptist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu elms.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter Elms College
Tuition (In State) $22,380 $38,735
Tuition (Out of State) $22,380 $38,735
Room & Board $9,400 $14,830
Avg Net Price $13,490 $23,498
Avg Grant Aid $20,057 $27,109
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Shorter Elms College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 871 1,177
Admitted 849 1,070
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 90.9%
Enrolled % 31.4% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25
SAT Range 960/1290 1070/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 25, 2025

Academics

Shorter Elms College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

Shorter Elms College
Graduation Rate 47% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $293 $258

Diversity

Shorter Elms College
% Men 44% 25%
% Women 56% 75%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 56%
% Black 24% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 24%

Students

Shorter Elms College
% In-State 84% 72%
% Out-of-State 15% 26%

Campus

Shorter Elms College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Shorter University is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (1,515 students vs. 1,275 students)

Shorter vs. Elms College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or Elms College?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 73.1% more expensive to attend than Shorter for in-state tuition ($38,735.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.1% higher at Elms College than Shorter University ($38,735.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than Elms College ($13,490 vs. $23,498)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 57.8% lower than costs at College of Our Lady of the Elms ($9,400 vs. $14,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than College of Our Lady of the Elms (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 35.2% larger than aid received Shorter University ($27,109 vs. $20,057)

Shorter vs. Elms College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Shorter or Elms College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Elms College or Shorter .

  • The average SAT score at College of Our Lady of the Elms (976) is 7 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming Elms College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman Elms College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Elms College (90.9%)

Shorter vs. Elms College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter or Elms College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Elms College and Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at Elms College is higher than Shorter University (58% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $3,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,418)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($258 vs. $293)
  • More Elms College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 38%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/